Facilities Manager for ZenithOptimedia

Background

Maxwell Stephens was approached by ZenithOptimedia Group, a leading global media agency, to recruit an experienced Facilities Manager for its offices on Percy Street and Whitfield Street in London.

The role supported a workplace population of approximately 600 employees across two key sites and called for a Facilities Management professional able to hold standards across operations, compliance, service delivery and workplace experience.

The Challenge

ZenithOptimedia needed more than a day-to-day operational Facilities Manager.

The successful candidate had to combine technical FM knowledge with leadership, commercial awareness and a continuous-improvement mindset, taking responsibility for two busy office environments, leading the facilities team, maintaining Health & Safety compliance, controlling budgets and supporting business continuity.

The role also required someone who could respond to changing business needs, keep disruption down during workplace changes and find opportunities to improve efficiency and sustainability.

Agency offices are demanding ground for Facilities Management. Occupancy is dense, hours are long and internal churn is constant, so the FM is dealing with reconfiguration and reactive work at the same time as the planned programme. The pressure falls on responsiveness, and a manager who cannot keep both moving quickly loses credibility with the business early.

Our Approach

Maxwell Stephens ran a targeted recruitment campaign focused on professionals with proven experience managing large corporate office environments.

We prioritised candidates with a strong background in:

• Multi-site Facilities Management
• Team leadership
• Health & Safety compliance
• Budget management
• Office relocations and workplace change
• Maintenance and service delivery
• Sustainability and environmental initiatives

The sustainability requirement narrowed the field more than the others. Plenty of Facilities Managers support environmental work when asked; far fewer have led it, and leading it calls for someone willing to take on an agenda that sits outside the core remit and carries no immediate operational reward.

Through a detailed selection process, we placed a Facilities Manager who combined the technical expertise the role needed with a leadership style and cultural fit suited to ZenithOptimedia.

The Outcome

The appointment delivered improvements across both the operational and the strategic sides of Facilities Management:

• Operational efficiency. The Facilities Manager strengthened the coordination of maintenance activity and office relocations, reducing disruption and creating a more efficient working environment for staff.
• Health & Safety compliance. Procedures were reviewed and strengthened, keeping the workplace compliant with relevant legislation and safe for employees and visitors.
• Budget control. Expenditure was managed effectively, with opportunities identified to reduce costs while holding the quality and reliability of Facilities Management services.
• Employee experience. Responsive day-to-day facilities support improved the workplace for approximately 600 employees across the two London offices.
• Leadership and service delivery. Clear direction for the Facilities Management team improved consistency, accountability and overall service performance.
• Sustainability leadership. The Facilities Manager took an active role leading the organisation's Green Team, supporting environmental initiatives and contributing towards ISO 14001 certification.

Why This Placement Worked

The placement gave ZenithOptimedia a Facilities Manager able to balance the demands of a busy corporate environment with compliance, operational efficiency, employee experience and continuous improvement.

It also shows the value of recruiting an FM who contributes beyond building management. The sustainability work is the clearest example: an environmental management standard needs an operational owner who understands how the buildings actually run, and appointing someone capable of taking that on turned a compliance exercise into part of the day job.

If you are recruiting a Facilities Manager to improve workplace operations, compliance and employee experience, Maxwell Stephens can help you define the brief and reach candidates who bring more than the minimum. Get in touch with our team.